


Your hemlock heart, it's just like mine

by beebuzz



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Blind Date, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23760298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beebuzz/pseuds/beebuzz
Summary: “Absolutely not.” Suga barked from his hunched position in the booth.“Suga, please just-”“No, Dai- I was promised a stress-free night out with my friend not-”“Well, I’m still here-”“Not-!” Suga repeated louder with a knock of his knuckles on the table. “Some weird fake date while you bro out with your new best friend.”“That’s not- I’m not- You-” Daichi took a big breath while he pinched at the bridge of his nose. “Dammit, Suga, one argument at a time. Please.”---Daichi and Iwaizumi decide, for better or worse, to set their best friends up on a date despite neither of them knowing until it's too late.
Relationships: Oikawa Tooru/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 16
Kudos: 297
Collections: HQ Rarepair Bang 2020





	Your hemlock heart, it's just like mine

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the piece I wrote for the HQ Rarepair bang -  
> I had a lot of fun doing it, so I hope you enjoy!

“Absolutely not.” Suga barked from his hunched position in the booth. 

“Suga, please just-” 

“No, Dai- I was promised a stress-free night out with my friend not-” 

“Well, I’m still here-” 

“ _ Not-! _ ” Suga repeated louder with a knock of his knuckles on the table. “Some weird fake date while you bro out with your  _ new best friend _ .” 

“That’s not- I’m not- You-” Daichi took a big breath while he pinched at the bridge of his nose. “Dammit, Suga, one argument at a time. Please.” With a quick gulp of his beer, Daichi wiped at his face. “First of all, he’s not my new best friend, so don’t get all defensive and passive aggressive about it,” Lips pursed, Suga slouched further into the booth. “Secondly, I don’t  _ bro out _ \- I don’t really know what that means- And thirdly, it’s not a fake date. You don’t have to even call it a date- it’s just-” Another heavy sigh came and the sheer frustration oozing out of him made Suga work to hide the slight humor under ever present irritation and betrayal. “You’re the one that’s been complaining to me for months about never meeting new people.” 

“Forcing two unwilling participants into an uncomfortable- and yes, very much a date- is not exactly meeting people.” 

“Then how about we leave so you can be the asshole that stood someone up?” 

“That’s mean.” Throwing his voice into something dramatic, Suga tried for his most believable shock. “Being away from my angelic presence has made you cruel.” 

Unbothered, Daichi finished off the rest of his beer. “More like I learned from the best.” 

“I am nothing but nice.” 

“Then you’ll have no problem getting through tonight.” 

It was hardly the truth. 

Suga did not handle dates well- especially when he didn’t even know the guy. 

He would, most certainly, be dead by morning. 

“If this another one of your- my friend’s gay, your friend’s gay, let’s just put them together- setups, I’m calling your mother.” 

Daichi looked bewildered, all lifted brows and rigid posture. “I don’t do that.” 

With as much of a smile as he could manage, Suga reached forward and landed a few pats on the back of Daichi’s wrist. “It’s cute that you actually believe that. So young, so naive.” 

But then Daichi was frowning at him. He hated that frown. Daichi knew it was all just joking around, but still he desperately tried to reign in Suga’s chaos. “Just please-” 

“I know. Behave.” He drew himself back into the plush seat of the booth. “I will, but I reserve the right to still be a little mad at you.” 

That was enough compliance to have Daichi settling into his seat. “It could go well.” 

“And it could go horribly- you ever actually met this guy?” 

“A few times. It’s-” 

“And?” 

Daichi shrugged while rolling the empty beer bottle between his hands. “You know it was never for very long. But they’ve been friends for years, and you don’t mind being around Iwaizumi, so he can’t be that bad, right?” 

“Oh, but he could be. Your logic is so simple, my dearest Sawamura.” 

The frown came back and with it was the knit of his brow. “Don’t call me dumb.” 

Smiling sweetly, Suga gave a flash of teeth. “Did I say dumb?” 

“You meant simpleminded.” 

“I  _ meant _ unassuming.” 

“Well me and my unassuming self will be close by so if it is actually as horrible as you think, you can come get me and we’ll leave.” 

“ _ My unassuming self and I _ -” Suga corrected under his breath out of sheer habit, earning himself a swift kick under the table. 

He hunched forward, drawing his leg up and scowling, “Hey! Watch it-” 

“I hate that-” 

Suga reached across the table to punch at his chest. “Then learn grammar.” 

The second knock of a fist was met with Daichi grabbing his wrist and holding too tight for his arm to pull back. “Don’t go all  _ teacher _ on me-” 

“I wouldn’t have to if you’d just-” He tugged again, trying and failing to get his arm out of a firm grip. “ _ Daichi _ - _! _ ” 

He hissed at the same time a vaguely familiar voice extended, “ _ Sawamura _ -?” into the space beside them. 

Being drawn out of their assault on one another, the pair turned their heads up to find Iwaizumi staring in obvious confusion. They let go of each other easily and Daichi began an apology full of forced laughs and excuses. Suga could have mocked him, or argued with him more maybe-  _ maybe _ if there hadn’t been critical eyes on him from over Iwaizumi’s shoulder. He’d seen those eyes before- only in a couple pictures Daichi was most likely begrudgingly forced to be in- But he knew who they belonged to. And Suga had heard enough to know he was doomed. 

He felt displeasure curl through his gut as he leaned forward fast and cupped his mouth. “ _ Him? _ ” rushed out of his mouth before Daichi was waving him back. 

“Good to see you both.” He said loudly to cover Suga’s whine. 

“Never been here before.” Iwaizumi started before Oikawa grumbled, “ _ It’s grimy. _ ” from behind him. 

Daichi’s smile was still genuine, if not only a little tense from the sheer exasperation radiating at him from across the table. “They’ve got some good choices.” 

Iwaizumi gave a nod, then a jerk of his head followed by a grunt that Daichi could apparently acknowledge as some sort of request- And without question or a caring look to the person he was about to abandon, Daichi slid from the booth and led Iwaizumi toward the bar. 

“Listen up, I don’t know what you’re expecting,” Oikawa began as he took Daichi’s place. “but I found out about this arrangement right before we walked in so-” 

“No, yeah, I get it. Same for me.” He offered a small laugh in a futile hope it would ease the other’s scowl. “Dai probably knew I wouldn’t come if he had told me earlier.” 

“Right-” With the slide of his eyes away, Oikawa slid across the table a full bottle of the beer. “Well, he said you’d like this.” 

“ _ Aw, _ ” Suga cooed with as much sarcasm as he could fit into one syllable. “You asked-” 

“I didn’t.” Oikawa cut him off with a curt tone and a shrug. “Iwa-chan did. Just so we’re clear. He made me get it while he just  _ had _ to wait for  _ someone’s  _ opinion. Really- In another life, I think they’d be in love.” 

“Yeah,” Suga said through another chuckle but it fizzled into silence as Oikawa kept his eyes across the bar. “Are you hot?” Head whipping, surprised eyes flashed into something near smug as Oikawa’s lips curled before his mouth opened. “I- ah-” Suga’s hand flicked about much like his tone rose high before falling back to a calmer level. “No, your coat. Do you want to take it off?” 

The huff through Oikawa’s nose was dismissive. He shrugged the puffy collar higher into his chin and rolled his eyes away. “Rather not. I don’t plan for this to last very long.” 

Weaker men may have given up right there. Accepted Oikawa’s evident, possibly _forced,_ lack of interest and abandoned the situation entirely. But if Sugawara was anything, it was determined. His mother- _and Daichi_ \- would probably suggest it was more of a daft stubbornness- but Suga chose to ignore their ever-present voices of reason and bite the uppity bait laid out so beautifully for him. 

With a sigh, he settled into the booth and downed the rest of his beer before switching it out with the full bottle. “Look,” Loud and unafraid, his voice managed to get those eyes to slide back over. “You don’t care to be here and neither do I all that much- but I also don’t want to deal with the aftermath of reproach I’ll get if we ditch this-  _ arrangement _ . So, we either get over it and act normal or we sit in uncomfortable silence the rest of the night. Now, I’ll let you know, I’m not very good at staying silence, so in case you don’t want to hear me go on and on for an hour about anything and everything I can think of, I will appreciate it if you would participate. Even the most miniscule of responses would appease me.” 

A contemplative stare was boring holes in Suga’s face. He returned it as best he could while his fingers did away with the slight edge of nervousness by fiddling with the loose, watery label sticker on the bottle. 

Gaze downcast, tongue clicking, Oikawa swiped a finger through the drops beading on his glass. “So what are you studying?” He asked it through a huff like it exhausted him. The eyes on his drink were low and bored resulting in the mere formality of a conversation. 

Suga probably should’ve left right there. He didn’t deserve this. He didn’t need to suffer through this horrible night, but something in him burned to prove this guy wrong. Prove them all wrong. He deserved respect just as much as he deserved a date- a  _ good  _ date. He bit the blade of Oikawa’s apathy between his teeth and kept his tone as light as possible. 

“I’m going to be a teacher.” 

Tongue clicking, Oikawa let out a judgmental hum high in his throat. “Sounds horrible.” 

Suga’s fingers squeezed his glass tight. “Education is an important profession.” 

“Important.” His nod turned to a dismissive shrug. “But horrible. At least tell me it’s not going to be  _ children, _ ” 

“Preferably, yes.” 

Brow up, Oikawa regarded him with brief disbelief before leaning forward. “So you’re a masochist, then?” 

Suga matched him by crossing his arms on the tabletop and leaning over them. They were close, closer than strangers could comfortably be, but Oikawa wasn’t moving away and Suga could tell in that stuffy moment just how much of a feat this night was going to be. “Maybe I am.” 

Something new flickered behind muddy brown eyes. Suga watched in pure amusement as Oikawa tried to stifle a titter with the purse of his lips. 

Instead of letting anything out, Oikawa reared back and slid his drink in front of him. “I mean, you must be if you want to get attacked by a bunch of brats for a living.” 

Suga sat up with him, letting his hands slide to his lap. “They’re only brats if you don’t know how to handle them.” 

“You’re not going to convince me it’s fun.” 

“I don’t have to. I’m the one pursuing it-” His smile was making his cheeks hurt, but he refused to let out any hint that he might be struggling to get through this without an insult. “But since you’re obviously skeptical of my choices, tell me what you’re doing that’s so much better.” 

“Astrophysics.” 

The haughty air that the word traveled on made Suga choke a laugh out. He didn’t mean it, it was just his way to wiggle under Oikawa’s skin and it  _ worked _ . “Is that so?” 

“What?” Pretension gone, a defensive bite took its place. “I don’t seem like I can do that?” 

Suga brought his glass up and spoke from behind it with a twitching smirk. “Mm, not really.” 

It was meant to be a mere joke-  _ mostly _ \- sure, he didn’t really look like the studious type, but- 

“Judging my intelligence based on my looks?” “Not very teacher-like of you.” 

“It was more based on your general temperament.” Long sip over, Suga set the glass in front of him again and trailed along the rim with his fingers. “But I guess you’ll have to prove me wrong if you’re so bothered.” 

The scoff that flew across the table only made Suga more entertained. 

“Considering how civil your friend is, I just assumed you’d be similar-” Eyes up, Oikawa was staring at with an upturned nose and narrow eyes. “But you’re a lot less pleasant than you look.” 

“Daichi’s a nice guy.” Suga shrugged but didn’t let his expression falter. “And I can be very nice. When I want to be.” 

“How hard to believe, considering you just told me I look stupid.” 

“I  _ never _ said that.” His smile cracked if only a little. “Not really. And you called me a masochist-” 

“Which you agreed to.” 

“Well, I’m not going to  _ lie _ , but it’s not even-” His finger tapped the table, face curving into a serious disposition. “Most of the time people only act out when they’re lacking the proper outlet for their feelings. It’s more about the challenge of working as hard as I can and learning how to understand and adapt to help difficult people. That includes children  _ and _ adults.” 

Silence stretched between their stares. But once Oikawa’s expression loosened and he let his shoulders drop a fraction, they both released a sigh. “And you think you can do that?” 

Somehow, the tension had begun to melt. Where the tipping point had been, he wasn’t entirely sure, but something about it all felt lighter. The corners of his mouth pulled up again. He wasn’t ready to give a full grin, but he hoped enough of his mirth would come through the pinning stare of determined eyes. “I got you to keep talking to me, didn’t I?” 

“What else is there to do?” Leaning over the table, his chin went to his propped-up hand. “Some setup.” 

“They tried at least.” 

“Did they? I’m starting to believe Iwa’s just trying to pawn me off on the first person he sees when he gets tired of me.” He poked forcefully at the ice in his glass with the straw, jabbing it around and grumbling at it. “Plus, he gets the same look in his eyes when I start talking about guys that he does when I’m trying to explain a calculus problem- it’s just, bored and mildly annoyed. I’m not surprised this was his solution.” 

“Give him some slack- it’s a difficult concept to understand.” 

“What? Math or being attracted to men?” 

Suga nearly choked on the next swallow but managed to muffle his laugh with the lip of the bottle. “Both I think.” 

Slit-eyed glance to the bar, the look Oikawa was sending out was nasty and cross. “Sometimes I can’t believe I spent almost two years wanting nothing more than for that idiot to pin me against the closest wall.” 

Clearing his throat of his near-death choking, Suga set the bottle down with a sigh. “ _ Mm _ , how were we supposed to enjoy adolescent gay panic if we didn’t waste far too long pining after our straight best friend?” 

“And yours knows-” 

“Of course.” Suga knew his smile was growing soft, but between the relief of actual humor and the tipsy warmth trickling into his cheeks and fingers, he could hardly help it. “He might seem aloof, but he knows me better than anyone.” 

“It was mortifying, yeah?” 

“The most uncomfortable conversation I’ve ever had. But then I think about it sometimes- and wouldn’t it have been weird if it worked out? Like dating your brother or something.” 

“Iwa and I would have killed each other by now, surely.” The grin Oikawa pulled showed off brilliant white. “If you haven’t noticed, he finds me absolutely intolerable.” 

“Yeah, I’ve heard about you.” 

“All good, I’d like to think.” 

“Well, considering it all came from Iwaizumi-” 

“I was just joking when I said he can’t stand me.” Oikawa only doubled down with Suga’s laugh. “He’s a lying weasel and he loves me. Would he really be my friend for so long if I were that bad?” 

“I never said I believed him. Daichi was always a little more forgiving in his reviews of you.” 

“That’s surprising, isn’t it? I’m sure Iwa says even worse things about me when it’s just the two of them.” 

“You don’t know, maybe they’re better.” 

“I think you overestimate his ability to ever say anything good about me without it also being an insult. What’s it like to have a best friend that’s so nice and calm?” 

Suga hiccupped around the swallow of his beer, trying hard to recover with a chuckle. “I’m sorry- I’m sure it’s usually my doing, but I can assure you Daichi is not as nice and calm as he looks.” 

“Hmm? He’s always seemed like a perfectly average country bumpkin to me.” 

“Does that make me a country bumpkin as well?” 

“You’re too mean to be a bumpkin.” 

“Then what am I?” 

Oikawa paused, mouth drawing up from what ever thought crossed his mind. For some reason, it brought the twitch of a smile to push at Suga’s cheeks as he watched Oikawa huff and shake his head. 

“I abstain.” He stated flatly and brought his drink up to his mouth. 

But leaning into the impulsive thrill suddenly making itself known between the numbing of his lips and the erratic hum of his thoughts, Suga took a shot straight across the amiable bridge just barely constructed between them. 

“Hey, are you tired of being here?” 

“I was tired of being here before I even got here.” 

“So Daichi mistakenly told me he has beer in his fridge.” With a brief glance to the bar, he found the other two perched high on stools. Faces tense, they looked deep into whatever conversation would most likely have bored Suga to near death by now. “They seem busy- and that means his beer is very much unguarded right now.” 

“Beer is shitty.” 

“But it’s free.” 

For a moment, Oikawa didn’t speak. He only shifted against the uncomfortable wood and slid his glass through the puddle of condensation on the table. His eyes followed it-  _ left, right, left _ \- before it stopped and he brought it up for a long sip. Drained of the last bit, the glass hit the table and he moved from the booth. He was turning quickly, beginning to walk without so much as an agreement or even a glance. 

Suga scrambled to follow. With a final swig of frothy, room temperature beer, he grabbed his coat and began tugging it up his arms. 

Despite busting out the door first, Oikawa slowed to trail behind him down the snowy sidewalk. For the majority of the trek back, it was apparent he was unwilling to walk at Suga’s side or perform something as simple as idle conversation. Cold wind stung at Suga’s cheeks, not even the slight buzz working through his blood was enough to keep him warm. He hunkered down, shoved his nose into the collar of his coat and marched on. 

“I hope you know where you’re going.” Oikawa called out, only once they rounded the block into Daichi’s neighborhood. 

“It’s not difficult. He just lives-” 

“I know where he lives. I’ve probably been there more times than you have.” 

“Then tell me if I’m going the wrong way.” 

“No.” 

Suga let out his frustrated grumble low enough for it to be inaudible over their nosy steps. He hunched a little more as he walked, frowning at the slushy concrete. 

“Why didn’t you come here with him?” Oikawa asked as they started down the next street. He’d come in a little closer, spoke a little quieter. “He’s only mentioned you- oh,  _ I don’t know _ \- every time I’ve seen him.” 

“I didn’t apply.” Suga planned to stop there at first, but the silence behind him pushed him to continue. “I don’t think I’d fit in. Cities- With everything being so loud and busy- This isn’t where I should be.” 

“The city is loud and too busy, but you want to hang around tiny, screaming monsters for the rest of your life?” 

“Is it so baffling to you that some people might actually like children?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then you never want one?” 

With Oikawa’s snide hum, Suga straightened himself up a bit. It could be a leading question, sure, but- “That’s not really a first date question, now is it?” 

Suga’s next step stumbled a little, but he moved quickly to cover it up with the scuff of his heel. “I thought we decided that it wasn’t a date at the very beginning.” 

“No? I’m that ugly?” 

Suga’s no liar, but he certainly wasn’t going to admit that was far from the truth- nor was he going to give in to Oikawa’s ego that easily. “First dates are shit.” 

“It’s not because I’m so disgustingly ugly?” 

“What other excuse apart from the customs of a first date can you come up with not to answer?” 

“You’re not answering me either.” Oikawa sounded as smug as he probably looked. No doubt he knew the exact reason for Suga’s disregard of his questions. But Suga tensed, and maybe it was noticeable, and maybe Oikawa was taking pity on him when he finally let up and replied in a more relaxed tone. “I don’t think I’d mind a kid. If it were my own. I’d raise it not to be a little shit.” 

“Yeah, that’s the goal. I’ve always been told I’m exceptionally good at wrangling people.” Tension bleeding away at the sight of Daichi’s little home, Suga allowed himself a moment to take a deep breath. “Daichi always tells me I have a knack for seeing peoples’ strengths even when they can’t. Guess I want to put that to good use if it’s true.” 

“Oh-!” With the slight exclamation, Oikawa hurried in front of him to stop and bend over a little. “What’re mine then?” 

Their eyes were at the same level now, just as searching as they’d been the first time he was caught by them. Suga skittered to a stop, face drawing up with a short, “ _ Hmm? _ ” 

“My strengths.” He lilted, hands clasped behind him. “Please flatter me, Sugawara-kun.” 

“Don’t-” He stepped back, only for Oikawa to follow. “Just Suga is fine. 

“Then please tell me, Suga.” 

Something in the curl of his smirk told Suga this was just another attempt to make him give up on trying to figure everything out. But a small part, like the shine to his eyes or the slight lift of his shoulders leaned more toward asking for real praise. Most of this bravado was simply a game- one that Suga still wasn’t ready to lose- but there was something real underneath it. Something seeking validation in the barest sense. 

Unabashed honesty was really the only option. 

“Earlier-” He stood up straight and willed himself to relax. “At the bar. I hope you know I was just joking. I’m sure you’re smart in spite of this- airy front. I think there’s something behind it, I-” Oikawa’s face had twisted up but Suga was quick to lift his hands up and bark a laugh. “ _ Ah _ , sorry, sorry- that came out much more like an insult that I meant-” Now Oikawa was standing again, forcing his chin high and using his height to stare down his nose. “Let me start over. I wanted you to know- I’m sure you already do- you put out a pretty flashy confidence that I’m sure people find intimidating, right? But I- I think there’s a seriousness behind it?” 

“And you don’t find me intimidating.” 

Suga laughed again, rubbing at the back of his hair. “Well, actually- when you and Iwaizumi came up, and you were standing behind him with this awful-  _ stank face-  _ I thought,  _ oh good, this guy’s gonna bite my head off _ \- but then you were still just standing, not saying anything- and it felt like you were using him like some sort of shield despite being taller and, from what I hear, quick enough to take someone down with a couple of words and mean look. But I guess I also don’t really think that would work on me. Which is a very long way to say no- unfortunately for you, I don’t.” 

Hands going to his waste, Oikawa continued to stare into him. Despite the declaration that he was, in fact, not in any way overawing or frightening, he still seemed to try and break Suga with a stare alone. But when it inevitably failed, he turned and started a slow stride. 

“You look a lot nicer than you actually are, you know that? You’re going to be a terrifying teacher.” 

“I almost want to say thank you.” Suga hurried to fall into place at his side, a few glances sneaking over between his steps. “I feel as though that’s as close to a compliment as I’m going to get from you.” 

Unreactive, flat tone, Oikawa showed nothing more on his face than the slight curve of a dissenting frown. “Don’t underestimate me.” 

“No?” A single laugh flitted out with foggy breath. “Well, I’m  _ so _ excited to be proven wrong.” 

He wasn’t fought that time. Just given a small hum that stretched through the rest of their walk down the street. Until the slight panic set in. Until they were standing at the mouth of the short distance to Daichi’s front door and Suga’s hands were very much empty. 

“I-” Suga started, patting the various pockets between his jacket and pants. “It seems-” He double-checked each one, the whirr of confusion making his neck hot. “I may have lost Daichi’s spare key.” 

From behind him came a deep sigh and the kick of snow. “Please let this be a horrible joke.” 

“Oh, it’s horrible.” He turned and tried his hardest to flash a feeble smile. “But very much not a joke.” 

Oikawa put little effort in hiding his irritation as he crossed his arms and stuck his neck out a bit. “So you expect us to do  _ what _ exactly?” 

“We could break the window or-” 

“Now is not the time for more jokes.” 

Lips pinched together, Suga refrained from admitting that had been a very real suggestion. “I’ll text Daichi.” He said instead, scuffling towards the steps and taking seat. He tapped away at a message only to pause halfway through when Oikawa slid down beside him and scooted until they were pressed together from ankle to shoulder. 

Glancing at the purposefulness of their proximity, Suga was met with a huff and a nudge of an elbow. 

“It’s freezing and I’m not dying of frostbite waiting for them to get back and mock us.” 

“I’m not going to get mocked-” Suga looked back down to his phone and finished the message off- frowny face and all. “I’m going to get scolded.” 

“Pretty much the same thing, isn’t it?” 

“It’s fine. They have the car- it'll just be a minute.” 

As if to prove him wrong, Oikawa stayed silent as seconds slipped into minutes with nothing but the soft sound of snow and the occasional wet slide of tires on the street. Suga let his head hang, elbows on his knees, breath blowing wispy white down to the step. 

“You could walk back.” Came a grouchy mumble. “That is, if you even remember how to get there.” 

“Fuck off,” Suga muttered, clicking the side of his phone but seeing nothing other than his blank lock screen. “They’re probably already on their way.” 

“Pretty lousy first date.” Oikawa lamented loudly- loud enough that Suga flinched a little before picking his head up. 

“Yeah, well, I told you. First dates are shit.” 

He heard Oikawa shift but continued to watch the leisurely drift of snow to the ground as the voice beside him grew quiet. “Are your second dates any better?” 

“Ah,” He chose to consider it for a moment- run through numerous failures and let downs all that left him rather sour about the whole concept. “In truth, they’re hard to come by. Apparently, I can be a little abrasive and maybe a tad too insouciant when it comes to dating. But then again, from what I know- that might make us more similar than I’d like to admit.” Suga laughed, hearing nothing in return. The heavy silence startled him enough that he glanced to the side, only to be caught beneath a pining stare. 

He was cold, that much was becoming painfully obvious. The chill from the wind and the concrete was seeping into every bit of muscle and bone- but his skin seemed to burn under such a gaze. 

“Say Suga,” Voice hushed but commanding, face rosy, thick lashes dipping low and shining with a wayward snowflake, it wasn’t only his eyes that were striking. “You’re somewhat of a beauty, you know that?” 

It took far longer than he would like to acknowledge for just his mouth to open. A parting of lips to puff warm breath out before he could work to bring them into a weak smile. “I- may have been made aware of that before.” 

His joking tone, albeit a tad breathless, managed to earn him the smallest upturn of Oikawa’s mouth along with a short, amused exhale through his nose. Oikawa’s hand lifted through the quiet, but it hovered between them seemingly unsure where to go next. Suga had let his gaze drift to it but the call of a deep inhale pulled his eyes up. Staring, at each other, into each other, it felt less like a challenge now and more like an invitation to come closer. He wouldn’t let his attention waver and as a reward that hand crept up. Slowly moving but passing through the short distance to land with an icy chill against his cheek. Broad palm soaking up the warmth, thin fingers sprawling down to cup his jaw and tickle at his neck, they stared on. 

Suga’s gloved hands fisted the edge of his coat while a thumb brushed along his cheek. It stopped just beyond his lashes, coming back and making soft pats at the curve of his cheekbone. People fawned over the little mark there, made it out to be something special, pressed their mouths to it like a prayer. 

He’d never admit how much he liked that attention. He would continue to dismiss them with coy insecurity despite the fact that he knew they never listened to him. He just couldn’t be confident. He couldn’t believe them just as much as they couldn’t believe him. He didn’t understand what they saw in him. Or how they could think something as silly as a tiny, genetic hiccup on the expanse of a pale cheek was enough to warrant praise. As much as he tended to tease and flirt, when it came time to prove he wasn’t just talk, he faltered. 

And like every time before, stooped on the icy steps, shivering in the chill wind, he was maybe ten seconds away from laughing and brushing the entire situation off. Maybe five away from grinning and cracking a joke that would surely ruin the mood- but only two away from having to close his eyes as a nose brushed his and lips came to heat his own. 

There was undeniable control within such a simple kiss. Preciseness in a sense that Suga hadn’t experienced before. Not unsatisfying- just new, unexpected- intriguing. His face was tilted, chin lifted up- it helped, but it was an odd thing to be corrected so directly in the middle of something so mind clearing as a first kiss. 

He thought maybe it was a shame all his kisses hadn’t been so calculated. 

Or maybe that’s what made this one shake him all the way to his knees. 

He felt the need to laugh. At himself. At the absurdity of the whole situation. But nothing came other than the spare, subtle breaths let out in the moments their lips parted and came back together. 

“Well, that’s one way to keep warm.” 

Daichi’s voice was so familiar to his thoughts that for a moment, Suga believed it to be imaginary commentary his own brain had cooked up. But then came the unfamiliar, gruff clearing of a throat that made them pull apart. 

With the tilt of his head, Suga first caught sight of reluctant amusement hidden behind a veil of a reproach somehow communicated through Daichi’s eyes alone. He lifted his arm and with it came the jingle of keys. 

Once a sharp jolt of surprise passed, then flooded in the singe of embarrassment. Suga thought they’d pull away abruptly, pretend nothing was happening that they still  _ definitely _ were not coming close to maybe not entirely detesting each other. 

But they didn’t. He wasn’t going to move first and it seemed Oikawa had no intent to either. His hands lingered on Suga’s cheeks even as he turned his face. 

“Lookin’ pretty jealous, Iwa. No girl wanted to kiss your mean mouth?” 

“ _ Mean mouth _ ? That’s the best you can come up with right now?” With a horrible scoff, Oikawa stomped at the snow beneath his feet. “ _ Eh? Not _ my fault we had to come save your ass from freezing to death.” 

“And yet here you are-” Oikawa sneered after a short, petulant jab of his tongue out. “I always knew you cared.” 

Suga finally got himself together enough to pull Oikawa’s hands down from his face. Oddly, something in him still wanted to hold on. He twisted his grip, cradling the rosy fingers in his gloves and watching them until the crunch of ice to his right made him look up. 

“He tried to convince me to let you die.” Daichi hummed as he stepped up the stairs with his eyes toward the door. 

Iwaizumi had stepped closer, hands pulling at his jacket from inside the pockets. “Now I know I should’ve gotten you arrested for public indecency.” 

Instead of another offended noise, Oikawa laughed and let his fingers curl into fuzzy palms. “Oh, you really are jealous- But how do you expect to live without me if I went to prison?” 

“Easily and happily.” 

“Too bad I’m still a perfectly alive, free man.” 

“Yeah, whatever.” Iwaizumi jerked his head back and pointed with an elbow to the car. “I’m going home.” 

“That’s amazing. I’m so glad you’re capable of-” 

“You’re coming with me. I’m not picking you up later no matter how much you whine.” 

Oikawa’s grin slipped into the purse of his lips and then even further to a disgruntled pout. His fists tightened, pink skin going white as Suga glanced down to them. 

“Hey,” Suga finally managed to get his voice working. He squeezed at Oikawa’s hands once before slipping his own away. “I’m staying till Wednesday.” 

Oikawa watched him in almost stunned understanding before letting his smile rise back. “You still owe me a shitty beer.” 

“I’ll text you.” 

He stood, hopping down to the sidewalk and shoving his hands in his pockets. “I didn’t give you my number.” 

“I’ll get it.” Suga returned his smile until he felt his eyes begin to crinkle up. “I’m smarter than I seem, pretty boy.” 

One step backwards, and Suga earned a fast wink. “Yeah, so am I.” 

Another step back and Iwaizumi’s loud call made them both jolt. “ _ Oi _ , fail at flirting later! I’m fucking tired.” 

“ _ Shut up-! _ ” Oikawa hissed as he turned and barreled down the sidewalk with a fist raised. “You’re such a jerk!” 

The boot tapping Suga in the spine brought his head to tip back and stare at Daichi’s upside-down smirk. 

“Do we need to discuss what happened?” 

“Nah,” Head rolling forward, Suga pulled himself to his feet. “’Cause I have no idea.” He flashed his grin, wide enough for its contagious gravity to pull Daichi into smiling with him. “But I think I’m looking forward to whatever it’s going to be.” 

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on twitter [ @scuttlebuttles](https://twitter.com/scuttlebuttles?s=17)  
> !


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